The Trojan Horse
by Geogirl
Summary: Will tries to deal with the repercusions of The Telling. CHAPTER 6 IS NOW UP!
1. Default Chapter

The Trojan Horse 

By GeoGirl

Disclaimer:  I own nothing related to Alias, I'm just giving the characters something to do during the summer.

Distribution:  SD-1, Cover Me, Fanfiction.net and anyone else who asks first.

No Parking On The Devilstrip 

The seconds moved slowly by and Will watched Allison/Francie's eyes fill with tears, filling up to the brim.  They spilled over at the same time an anguished sob left her lips.  The knife twisted between their bodies, each trying to get the knife in their control and with a twist of the wrist, the knife plunged into his stomach.  Seconds ticked by and pain seared through him, starting at the wound and radiating outward.  It felt like lightening coursing through his veins.  He heard himself moan in pain and watched as tears slowly streamed down her face.  

"I'm sorry," she cried.  She leaned in and kissed him as he slid to the floor.  The edges of the room became blurry and closed in.   Grey clouded his eyes and he felt his body went limp.  

***

Will's eyes fluttered open and were assaulted by light and color.  He squeezed them shut quickly and he tried to turn away and realized he couldn't move his head more than a little in each direction.  He swallowed and tried to speak and was unable to produce a sound.  

"Hush, love, don't try to speak.  There's a tube down your throat that was helping you breathe."  

Will's eyes focus on the kind face of the nurse, he presumed. 

"My name is Nan and I've been helping to take care of you."  

He tried to mouth "thank you" and she smiled with the recognition.  

"We'll get that tube out of your throat now, but don't try to speak once it's out.  Your throat is bound to be very sore."  Her gloved hand gently grasped the end of the tube.  "Now, take a deep breath and blow out as hard as you can."

He did as told, the tube sliding out and he instinctively coughed.  

She put a straw up to his mouth, "Take a few small sips only."

Again he instinctively coughed.  He started to mouth question after question and Nan leaned in and patted his arm. 

"Hush, hush.  I'm going to go call your family and let them know that you're awake now.  I'll be right back with something to write on so you can ask your questions."  The answer appeased him and he relaxed back into his pillow and closed his eyes. 

Will woke again sometime later and felt a pen and tablet of paper beneath his right hand.  He tried to sit up and was rewarded by sharp pain in his mid section.  He gasped and then inhaled sharply, setting off several monitors.  He grabbed for the call button and before he could press it, the nurse shuffled in.

"Ah, I see you are awake again.  Normally I would be insulted if a good looking man fell asleep on me, but this time I'll forgive you."  She kept rambling on, not allowing him to get a word in, fussing about him and that seemed to ease his questions.  

"I see that you tried to sit up on your own, which as you probably figured out, wasn't a good thing.  I'm going to elevate the head of the bed slightly and let me know when it starts to hurt.  I'll then up your dose of painkiller slightly to take the edge off."  

She walked over to the side of the bed and worked the controls until Will winced.  Nan keyed in a code to the small monitor on his right and within moments Will felt numb again.

"I know you've got lots of questions and your family should be here soon.  What I can tell you is that you sustained a severe injury to your abdomen and we had to operate.  It was touch and go for a while, but you're a fighter."  

Nan pulled back the sheet covering his chest and began to inspect the bandages that covered most of the area.  She gently pulled back the gauze and inspected the incisions, gently checking them for good color and for signs of infection.  She kept muttering "good, good" under her breath and Will fought the urge to pull away from her scrutiny.

When she was done replacing the bandages, she gave him another sip of water and used the remaining water in the cup to water the plants on the windowsill.  She briefly pulled back the curtains to reveal a starless night, sighed and shut them again.   Again her hand patted his arm.  

"It's finally a pleasure to meet you Mister Tippin.  Once your family arrives, Doctor Phan will come in and give you all the details.  In the meantime, the morphine is going to make you a bit sleepy again.  Take advantage of it, sleep is good for you."

Nan bustled about until Will dozed off and headed back to the nurse's station.  She pulled the phone over the desk and dialed a number from memory.

"Sir, Will Tippin is finally awake and coherent."

"His parents will be here shortly."

"Yes.  I suspect he's going to have questions that only you can answer."

"Yes, I'll see you shortly."

***

Marjorie and Charles Tippin rushed into the hospital room, relief written all over their faces.  Marjorie immediately tried to hug her son and was rewarded by a wince from her son.  Charles stood near the window and surveyed the scene with a smile on his face.  His parents fussed and fretted over the incapacitated Will until Dr. Phan arrived.

"Will, three weeks ago you were brought into the hospital with a severe stab wound to the upper right quadrant of your abdomen, which required immediate surgery.  We were able to get in and stop the bleeding, but had to remove your spleen.  Your kidney was nicked by the knife and was repaired.  

Later we realized that your large intestine had also been nicked, and we had to go in again and repair it.  We also removed some infected tissue.  You've been on very strong antibiotic since then to stave off infection. 

There was also severe bruising to your neck and vocal chords, which has been healing nicely on it own."

Dr. Phan flipped through the chart and added, "You also sustained a concussion.  We kept you heavily sedated for the first week to allow for healing.  You've been in and out of a coma since then, however you never really regained consciousness until last night. We're very glad to have you back."

Will's parents' eyes never left the Doctor's face during his explanation and when he reached the end, the tears in their eyes were evident.  They nodded in agreement and Will's mother grabbed his hand, the one without the IV, and kissed it. 

After a few more moments fielding questions from all three Tippins, Dr. Phan left them in relative peace.  Marjorie and Charles spent another half an hour with Will until he started to fall asleep and Nan came in and ushered them out.  They promised to return in the morning and to bring his sister Amy.  Nan checked his vitals, administered more antibiotics and shut the curtains.  By the time Nan left the room, Will was asleep.

Will slept dreamlessly for several hours and slowly woke to a dim room.  A figure was silhouetted in front of the window and backlit by the parking lights outside.  Startled by the figure in his room, Will gave a sharp yelp and fished for the call button.

"Welcome back Will."  The figure stepped away from the window and into the light.

"Jack, what the hell happened to me?" he rasped.


	2. Forget Me Not

Forget-Me-Not 

Jack gave Will a hard stare for several minutes before answering.  

"What do you remember, son?"  Jack's attempt at sympathy was making Will extremely nervous and he took a sip of water before beginning.

"I remember being cleared of being a double.  A big guy, Eric or Aaron maybe, came and got me out of my cell.  I asked to use a computer because the name of the person identified as the real double was familiar.  That guy, now I remember, Houdini – Eric Weiss, with the magic trick, he lent me his computer.  We found the name of the person on my Project Christmas list, Allison Georgia Doren."  Will's face whitened and he looked horrified at Jack.

Jack's instincts howl at him to comfort this grieving person, but he remained by the window immobilized.

"OH MY GOD, Francie!" he screamed.  

"Jack, it wasn't Francie at all…Allison Doren." Will broke down into moans and sobs.  Jack slowly made his way over to the chair next to the bed.  He sat uncomfortably on the edge of the seat and his hand hovered near Will's shaking form.

A deep, tortured moan escaped Will's lips.  

"Francie?  Do you know what happened to her?  Is she alive?" he managed between sobs and hiccups.  

Jack just shook his head and Will launched his body toward Jack.  Jack gathered the broken man in his arms and remembered when he was told that Laura was gone, and uneasily patted the younger man's back.  

Will's monitors start buzzing and ringing and Nan rushed in.  She surveyed the scene, turned off the monitors and headed back out of the room.  A few moments later she returned with a syringe and injected something into Will's IV.  Moments later Will's sobs quieted and he became calmer.

"Do you remember anything else from that evening?"  Jack tried to push ahead, hoping that he was not pushing too hard or too soon, but there was the hint of urgency just beneath the surface.

"I remember going home and continuing to research what happened to Allison Doren.  She was part of Project Christmas and she supposedly died in a fire when she was younger.  Francie came home with ice cream."  Will smiled and took a sip of water.  

"I remember going into the bathroom to get something, aspirin maybe.  I couldn't find any in the medicine cabinet and so I had to hunt around."  He paused again and his eyes became wider.  "I found some provocillium and realized that it wasn't Francie at all.  I kind of remember that I called Syd and left a message that Francie could be the double.

I went out and looked for Francie and then it gets fuzzy.  Maybe she confronted me, but I really don't remember much except waking up here."  He slumped back against his pillows, nearly spent from the reliving of the incident.

Jack got up and started pacing, not satisfied with Will's memory.

"Jack, what do you know?"  Will started blinking his eyes, fighting off the need for sleep.  The medicine that Nan had injected into his IV was taking effect, but he was eager to find out what his memory wouldn't supply.

"It appears that there was a struggle between you and Fran..Allison, due to the state of your apartment and your injuries.  When you were found, you were barely alive and immediately brought here.  This is a CIA secure hospital ward."  Jack looked out of the window again, his back to Will.  

"Allison was found shortly thereafter, also barely alive.  She was transported to this hospital and was questioned by an agent.  She refused to answer any questions.  She died on the operating table."  Jack glanced over his shoulder towards Will.  "I'm sorry."

Will couldn't fight the medicine any more and dozed off, tears still wet on his cheeks.

Jack's gaze returned to the window and whispered "Oh Sydney, where are you?"    


	3. Crack

Crack 

Will was on his second lap of the hospital floor for the day, complying with the Doctor's orders.  And the nurses watched him pass with twinkles in their eyes.  Hospital gowns were definitely designed by the nurses, he concluded.

It was an odd sounding shuffle, but a rhythm nonetheless. Shuffle, clomp, squeal.  His right leg created the shuffle, his right side still aching from the stab wound, the left leg trying to compensate and carry most of the weight and followed by the squeal of the wheels of the IV stand.  Will was following the rhythm, nodding at the other patients doing the same laps when he spotted a familiar figure coming down the hall towards him.  A smile spread across his face with the knowledge that if Vaughn was here, Syd probably was too.

"It looks like you're getting around pretty good Will.  Good to see you up and about." 

"Hey Mike, good to see you.  Where's Syd?  Did she come with you?"  Will asked, his eyes searching the halls.

"She couldn't make it today, but she sends her love and the plant.  She also sent a kiss, but you can get that from her the next time you see her."  Vaughn shrugged and held up the plant.  He hoped that Will didn't push more; Jack and Vaughn had decided not to tell Will yet that Syd was missing. 

"Too bad, tell her thanks for the plant and she needs to come visit me soon or else.  She working late?" 

"Something like that," Vaughn replied, his eyes dropping to study the tiles.

"Man, she's out on a mission, right?  Because, no offense, you look like crap and we all know you never sleep when she's on a mission."  Will said quietly, steering them both towards his room.

"Yeah, mission, right."  Somehow that response didn't reassure Will at all.  They were all hiding something from him, he was certain.  Sooner or later though, he would find out.

How Vaughn wished that she were only on a mission.  He hadn't slept, hadn't eaten any significant amount since she had gone missing.  He and Jack had been spending all of their time trying to get leads on what had happened to Sydney. 

Will lowered himself slowly into the bed while Vaughn found a spot on the windowsill for the plant.

"So how are you feeling Will?  Any idea when they're going to release you?"

"I'm feeling pretty good.  Moving slow but the pain is subsiding.  The doc told my parents that I could get out of here at the end of the week."

"That's good, really good.  Are your parents going to stay with you for a while or go back to Chicago?"

"I'm going to stay with my sister Amy and her husband for a while, doctor's orders.  Mom and Dad are staying one more week, but then going back to Chicago.  I think Mom has already set up a dedicated phone line so she can check on me every hour when she's back in Chi-town."  Will chuckled.

Vaughn smiled and nodded.  "That's how Mom's are I guess.  Mine wracked up a huge international phone bill when I was in the hospital earlier this year." 

After a small pause, he continued, "I know that Jack's been to see you a couple of times and said that we'd have someone come by to get your statement.  I'm going to have Agent Weiss, Eric, stop by tomorrow after lunch.  Is that okay?  Anything he can bring you?"

"After lunch sounds good to me.  If he wants to sneak in some real food, I wouldn't send it away," the two men conspired to have Weiss pick up a reuben from the deli.  Vaughn started to make his excuses, needing to return to work.

"Sure man, get out of here.  Go make sure Syd doesn't get hurt.  Speaking of Syd, what happened with the apartment?  Jack had mentioned that it showed signs of a struggle."

Vaughn's face turned completely white for a moment and he sputtered, "Uh, we had a CIA team go in to gather any pertinent evidence and then had it cleaned and repaired."

Will got very still and in a quiet voice, "Right, the double.  Any word on what happened to Francie?"

"Sorry, no.  If I hear anything, I'll let you know right away."

"Thanks.  Give Syd a hug for me and tell her to get over here soon.  I'd like to see her and not just her men sometime soon."

Vaughn gave a half smile, nodded and left the room.

Will leaned back into the pillows and stared off for a bit.  He reached over to the side table with a groan and grabbed his cell phone.  He hit a speed dial number.

"Hey Brad, this is Will Tippin.  How are you doing?"

"Yeah, I'm doin' good.  I'll be getting out of the hospital in a couple of days."

"Thanks.  Say, could you do me a favor and look up some articles for me?  I'm interested in any articles that were in the paper about my accident or any police blotter notes on the whole thing.  Could you get me copies?"

***

Vaughn returned to the Joint Ops Center, worn out by the visit with Will.  If anything, seeing and talking with Will made him miss Sydney more.  Will was one of her best friends and he couldn't even tell him yet that she was missing.  He let out a heavy sigh and sat heavily at his desk.  He rested his head in his hands and tried to refocus on the task.

Jack spotted Vaughn sitting at his desk and gave his some time to compose himself.  He wanted to talk more about the search for Sydney, but seeing the state Vaughn was in, he turned back to his desk and began shuffling papers and checking files on his computer.  Jack was just as tired as Vaughn but maintained more of his composure and wits.  He was determined to find his daughter; she was hurt somewhere and needed him.  He had a suspicion that Sloane was involved, but no definitive connection had been made as of yet.  Jack was convinced that there ultimately would be a connection.

"Hey buddy, how you holding up?"  Weiss pulled up his chair next to Vaughn.

"God I miss her.  Seeing Will made me miss her that much more."  He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed at his neck. His fist slammed down on the top of the desk, startling everyone including himself.  "I can't fathom that we've spent three weeks searching for clues and haven't found a f*#king thing.  She's got to be somewhere and I KNOW she's not dead."  He breathed in heavily and tried to compose himself.

"Will's beginning to wonder where she is too and I hate lying to him.  He's agreed to the interview tomorrow.  You just need to bring him a reuben."

"No problem, I'll take one for my self."  Weiss smiled in anticipation.  "And I know I cannot let on that Syd is missing just yet.  We'd also like him to start meeting with Dr. Barnett for counseling."  Weiss had been given the drill several times, they had thought about sending Eric sooner, but waited until Will had recovered more.  They all were holding out hope that

Will might remember something to direct their search. 

"Have faith Mike, have faith.  We're going to find her real soon."

"I really hope so, Eric.  I don't know if I can keep going without knowing."  Weiss saw the complete heartbreak in Vaughn's eyes and really wished that he could find a lead for them to chase.  The whole situation was slowly killing his best friend.  

"And I think Jack is nearing his breaking point," Vaughn said in a hushed tone.  He was beginning to be really worried about Jack.  Jack was just too composed, too together and wound so tightly that Vaughn feared that when Jack finally broke, the results would be catastrophic.  Vaughn also feared that Jack soon would be taking matters into his own hands, frustrated with

governmental red tape.

"Come on, let's go get some food before we head back into the thick of things."

"Would you mind if we invite Jack too?  I think he needs our support."  Vaughn asked looking over at Jack, who was trying to concentrate on the computer screen in front of him.  Eric looked at Vaughn incredulously until he determined that Vaughn was quite serious and wouldn't be swayed.

"Sure, but don't be surprised if he declines."

"I know.  I just want him to know that we're feeling the same way."

"Ok, but you're sitting next to him in the booth at the diner.  He scares me and I want there to be at least a table between us in case he doesn't appreciate my sense of humor," Eric winked as they walked over to Jack's desk.


	4. Unanswered Questions, Unquestioned Answe...

**Unanswered Questions, Unquestioned Answers  
**  
Amy's cat Buttons swirled in and out of his feet as he chewed the end of his pencil. Photographs and papers were strewn about him in a rough horseshoe. He read the police report in his hand for the third time, looking for the missing information. The facts just didn't add up and he knew he was looking for a needle in a haystack. The police and the CIA reports were missing so much detail.  
  
A neighbor had called the police when she heard the gunshots. The tap of the 911 system alerted the CIA that an emergency was occurring at an agent's house. The CIA arrived first. He was found in the bathtub. Oh Syd. I hope you didn't see that. The ambulance was immediately called with the police arriving about the same time.  
  
Allison was found in the bedroom barely alive and she was rushed to St. Stephen's, the CIA hospital under custody. He was also rushed to the same hospital. No other bodies were found.  
  
He was tired of the lies and the avoidances. Sydney had been on a "mission" longer than any previous mission. No one at the CIA would answer his questions on her whereabouts. He didn't have the clearance to access the files in the CIA database, should he ever make it to the office again. Vaughn was looking completely distraught and Jack wasn't looking much better. Weiss was the only person who actually would spend time with him and but even Eric wouldn't answer all of his questions.  
  
Every time he asked, he was referred to Dr. Barnett. He was beginning to loathe that woman. He had been required to talk with her extensively about that last evening and his relationship with Francie/Allison. He knew they were looking for any clue he might remember so that they may find the people that had trained Allison. He also hoped that the CIA was still looking for Francie.  
  
He wanted to talk with Syd. He missed her and he wanted her to see that he was good, that he was healing and that he had survived. He wanted to know if she knew about Francie and A.J. Doren. Will knew that Syd wouldn't lie to him about what had happened. Francie was her best friend and he was certain that Syd was just as curious and concerned about their friend as he was.  
  
"How are you feeling today Will?"  
  
"Physically, I'm doing well. The doctor said I'd be ready to go back to deskwork in a few days. Someone will have to drive me to work, but I'll be happy to get out of the house for more than an hour or two."  
  
"You sound restless."  
  
"Yes, I am, I guess. I need to be doing something. I'm tired of sitting around my sister's house and spending quality time with her couch and cat. I want to write and research and just do something constructive."  
  
He paused and looked out the window.  
  
"I want to see Francie again. I want her to be ok. I want to talk with Syd and the three of us to go get coffee and rent movies and hang out in their apartment."  
  
"That all sounds wonderful, but how realistic do you think that is?"  
  
"I don't want to give up hope that Francie is alive somewhere. I can't. Can you understand that? To have someone I love be missing is horrible enough, but to even consider that she's not ali...."  
  
Will got up from the couch and stared pacing the room. He felt agitated and he was beginning to become angry.  
  
How can the CIA not know anything? I thought they had the world bugged, or at least everything in Sydney's life was under constant surveillance. How can Francie have just disappeared and someone take her place? How could the CIA not have known?"  
  
He stopped swallowed hard and looked at Dr. Barnett.  
  
"Please tell me how they couldn't have known?  
  
"I am sorry that I cannot give you any answers Will. I know that you want to believe that Francie is alive somewhere, but you need to accept that the CIA may never find her, that she is already dead."  
  
"No, NOOOOO! She is not dead. I cannot believe that. I just can't."  
  
He sat down heavily in the chair and leaned forward.  
  
"Please tell me something. I need to know what is going on. I need to see Sydney and talk with her and help find Francie. Let me see what the CIA has done, what they've found. I've done research before, tracked down the most mundane leads I can help, I know I can. And if Sydney were here, she'd find a way too." His voice got very stilted and soft and his eyes were focused slits.  
  
"Will. You have to understand that you have been told everything possible. The CIA is not concealing information concerning Francie from you and I need you to believe me. I know that you have been patient and cooperative and we appreciate your assistance. As soon as any new information is available, and has been cleared, it will be shared with you."  
  
"That is not good enough. The answers are not good enough. Please, I just want to talk with Sydney. Someone should know when she's to return. Surely the CIA knows something or are they completely incompetent?"  
  
"Mr. Tippin, please calm down."  
  
"I am....I want....please?" He let out an exasperated cry and leapt up from the chair. He hurled open the door, denting the wall with the handle and slammed it behind him, knocking a picture off the wall. Almost instantly Dr. Barnett's secretary burst into the room.  
  
"Let him go. He needs to work through his anger, just have security keep an eye on him while in the building. Also, tell Director Kendall that I would like to speak with him.  
  
Will stormed through the halls cursing to himself and others in the halls gave him wide berth. He passed Eric near the elevator without even acknowledging him.  
  
Vaughn sat at his desk staring at the computer screen, his hand working out the tension in his neck.  
  
"We're leaving." Eric opened up Vaughn's drawer and scooped up his keys. He stood and waited impatiently as Vaughn shut down his computer and grabbed his briefcase.  
  
"Ok, where are we going?"  
  
"Will just stormed out of Barnett's, looking for someone to hurt and you are sitting here looking as though you've...you look like you need a break. We're going to get sloshed."  
  
They headed to the elevator.  
  
"I had the security guards keep Will in the lobby and we'll get him on the way out."  
  
The three headed out the side entrance and got into the waiting cab and were soon at Malloy's with three pitchers of draft beer and several plates of fried food.


	5. In Pieces rated R for swearing

_AN: Hey La, Hey La, my muse is back.   
__I'm already working on the next chapter too. This has not been reviewed by a beta, so forgive any mistakes.  
_

**In Pieces**   
  
Will sat in the conference room opposite Dixon and Jack, waiting. Both men looked as though they hadn't slept in years and there was noticeable strain in Jack's eyes. There was a sadness and a weariness that passed between Dixon and Jack and a silent nod punctuated their silent conversation.  
  
A hush filled the room as if everyone were reluctant to speak out loud and Will began to wonder if they weren't waiting for more people to arrive. He though maybe Vaughn or Weiss would be joining them, but then remembered he hadn't seen either of them for the past day or so.  
  
Jack stood up and began closing the blinds and dimmed the lights overhead. The screen on the far wall lit up, but no picture appeared.  
  
Dixon leaned in and began quietly making Will strain to here every word.  
  
"Will, understand that we are about to share highly classified information with you, some of which is above your clearance level. There is much we cannot tell you at all, but we feel that it is your right to know this much."  
  
"What aren't you telling me? Why isn't Sydney here too? Has she already been briefed on this?" Will looked back and forth between the two men with mounting concern. He was beginning to dread his quest, his insistence on the truth even before he received it.  
  
An image of the house that he shared with Francie and Syd filled the screen.  
  
"How much do remember of the night you discovered Francie was actually Allison Doren?" Dixon asked.  
  
"I've answered this question so many times; don't you have that answer by now?" He let out an exasperated sigh. "I remember finding the provocillium in the bathroom and calling Syd to tell her that I thought that Francie was actually the double. I went out of the bathroom and didn't see the Fran...Allison at first and then she attacked me. We fought and she stabbed me. I remember her crying. I don't remember much else until I woke up in the hospital. I did have a fleeting dream that Syd came into the bathroom and found me in the bathtub like Danny, but I'm not sure if that was real or not."  
  
The picture on the screen changed and showed the inside of the house, torn apart as though a tornado had ripped through the dwelling. Jack moved around the room, not being able to look at the photos once more, they were etched in his brain.  
  
"This is how the house was found when the paramedics arrived for you." Dixon continued. Will's face went slack in horror, wondering what had gone on. He knew that the fight between him and Allison had not done much damage at all. "The paramedics were called at 10:30 and arrived on the scene about 10:45. There was no tape of the call to be found and the number is untraceable. You were the only occupant of the house when they arrived. Sydney and Allison were not to be found."  
  
Will gasped and cringed at the next photo of Sydney's bedroom; blood was marking several of the walls and glass was strewn about.  
  
"No. That is not what the police report said. I've reviewed it; I read the CIA technician's notes from the scene. Allison and I were found and taken to St. Stephen's."  
  
"No Will. I'm sorry."  
  
"What? You falsified the police report? You fed me bogus documents? Why? Why didn't you tell me?" Will got up and began a hobbled pace around the conference room.  
  
"To keep you out of the investigation, Will," Jack replied. "You would have compromised everything we were working on through the back channels by asking public questions. We needed the anonymity."  
  
"You bastards. All you had to do was fill me in. I would have cooperated. Damn you and the CIA."  
  
Dixon and Jack let him stew in his anger until he was ready to continue. With resignation, Will sat back in his chair, ignoring the pain that shot through his abdomen.  
  
"So what really happened? Whose blood is that?" his voice quiet and his finger pointing toward the screen.  
  
"From what the CIA technician's have analyzed, there was a fight in here between Sydney and we assume Allison. Blood of two individuals was found; Syd's and we're guessing Allison, though we have no DNA match to confirm it."  
  
"Is Syd alright? Was she hurt badly?" Will looked at both agents and felt his mind reel. "Wait a minute; you said I was the only one the paramedics found?" His voice started getting louder with each word.  
  
Jack's hand touched the younger man's shoulder and he spoke in a hollow monotone.  
  
"Sydney has been missing since that night. We haven't been able to find her."  
  
"NO!" Will screamed and tried to jump out of his chair. Jack's hand exerted enough force to keep him rooted to the chair. "She can't be missing; you all told me she was on assignment." He tried again to get up, with no avail.  
  
"YOU LIED TO ME!"  
  
"Will, we've been expending every resource we can use to find her. No one's has had any rest since she went missing. Vaughn had to be sedated twice. We're tracing all of the clues, we've interviewed every operative we can get our hands on, and Jack's been trying to break Mr. Sark. We're all looking for Sydney and for Allison and Francie too," Dixon's voice was filled with despair.  
  
"It's been almost a month and you have nothing?" Will was beginning to hyperventilate and Jack gently pushed a glass of water into his hand. He gulped at the water and continued. "I want to help damn it, let me help." The anguish in his voice was only matched by the look in Dixon and Jack's eyes.  
  
_There's more they are not telling me. Something else is wrong,_ Will's mind screamed at him.  
  
"What? You still aren't telling me something? What is it?" His gaze tripped frantically between the two men.  
  
Air left the room as the next picture projected onto the screen. It showed the burnt out shell that remained of their house. Tears traced down Will's face as Dixon tried to explain.  
  
"Two nights ago our agents found Sydney's house in flames and the fire department was called. Jack and Vaughn were also called to the scene. A body was found in the ashes. All of the tests are not back yet, but based on the evidence....Will, we think that it was Sydney."  
  
Will's breathing stopped and his world went black.  
  
Gentle shaking started to clear the fog in his mind and Will slipped back to the reality he had momentarily left. He woke to the look of Jack's eyes, broken and void of hope. With Jack's help he sat up and in an instance of pure clarity hit Jack squarely in the jaw.  
  
"You son of a bitch. You led me to believe she was alive. She is ALIVE you motherf&%$er." He shook the pain out of his hand and watched in amazement at the lack of movement in Jack. Will then noticed that Dixon had left the room, leaving just the two grief-stricken men.  
  
"Damn you, Jack, I love her. You and Dixon just sat here and told me that there is no hope in finding the two women I love most in the world. She's your daughter, how can you believe she's dead?"  
  
"I..."Jack started, unable to form words to fill the silence between them. "I don't believe she's dead either and I never plan to stop looking for her, no matter what the evidence says."  
  
He paused again, trying to find the words, "Will, if the evidence says that was her in the house, you have to let her go. Don't let my delusions sway your grief. You're too smart, too good of a man for that."  
  
"Oh God Jack. She can't be dead. They can't be dead." Will covered his face with his hands and cried.  
  
Jack watched as the younger man expressed his grief in ways Jack never could. Jack turned the projector off and decided against raising the lights.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Jack was startled out of his reverie and looked at the recovering man.  
  
"You said you had interrogated that British bastard Sark. He's in custody?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He knows something. He's been stalking her and he knows something. What has he told you?"  
  
"Nothing. He's been very tight lipped."  
  
"Jack, you need to let me talk with him."  
  
"No. You do not have clearance." Jack sat back his chair, as if contemplating the request. Then he shook his head no.  
  
"You owe me, let me talk to him. The CIA owes me. And I know you can make it happen. If anyone could, it's you." Will gripped his arm with a ferocity that wasn't lost on Jack. 


	6. Glass Cages

**Glass Cages**  
  
Will followed Jack down. Down the twisting hallways and stairwells into the bowels of the CIA building, they walked. Will had lost all sense of direction and time as they continued their descent, as Jack had anticipated. Will only knew that there were answers waiting for him and that was enough to block the physical pain his body was broadcasting. He envisioned Sark's smirk and himself knocking it clean off.  
  
Anger was beginning to consume Will and Jack couldn't help but notice. So, in hopes of giving Will time to work through some of it, Jack was deliberately taking a serpentine path to what was facetiously called The Conversation Room. This one wasn't so very different from the one at SD-6, mostly because each room had been outfitted by master interrogators, a group which claimed Jack as one of their own.  
  
The pair stopped in front of a grey door, and with a nod, the guard disappeared. Jack stood in front of the door, waiting. Will's fingers tapped nervously on his thigh.  
  
"I'm ready, Jack," answering the question in Jack's eyes. "I need to do this."  
  
Jack opened the door behind him and Will paused before entering. Closing the door behind the younger man, Jack opened the hidden door to the right and entered the dark room. Flicking on the first monitor, the room was bathed in a green hue and images from the room next door began popping up on the other screens.  
  
Will sat in the empty chair opposite the prisoner. Sark, for his part, slumped with disdain in the chair, his hands cuffed behind his back. Both waited for the first man to speak, and Jack watched.  
  
"Do you know where Francie Calfo and Allison Doren are?" Will tried to peer deep into Sark's eyes. Sark showed no reaction. "Francie and Allison, do you know them?"  
  
"It is nice to see you again Mr. Tippin. I trust you are well?"  
  
"Francie and Allison? Where are they?"  
  
"Ah, yes the friend. I'm sorry I don't know." Will leaned across the table, trying to read the other man.  
  
"Yes you do. You know something and you need to tell me. Where are they? Is Francie alive?"  
  
Sark shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Is Francie alive? Please tell me."  
  
Will slammed his fist on the table in frustration. Jack sat up in his chair, leaning into the monitor.  
  
"Allison Doren, did you know her? Is she alive? Where can I find her?"  
  
Minutes ticked by and Will's anger was nearing its boiling point. Sark remained as silent as the grave, the edges of his mouth twitching upwards.  
  
"You bastard, answer my questions."  
  
"Temper, temper Mr. Tippin." Will groaned in frustration. He launched out of his chair and began pacing the room. In the other room, Jack began to wonder if this had been a good idea in the first place and if it was time to interfere.  
  
"How are your injuries, Will? Allison was getting quite fond of you, you know. She was reluctant to hurt you at the end, and it appears that she wasn't as successful as she should have been."  
  
Within moments Will had Sark pinned up against the wall, his hands around the prisoner's throat. Jack slowly nodded at the scene unfolding on the screen.  
  
"Sorry man, I just don't fancy a dance with you. You're not my type. Though, according to Allison, you're not so bad at dancing."  
  
"You f&#$ing bastard." Will's thumbs pressed harder on Sark's Adam's apple, causing the man to start squirming. "She's dead, you know? Sydney killed her, shot her dead."  
  
"That's a bloody shame. We had fun together, she and I."  
  
"I don't give a rat's ass what she was to you, you prick. What happened to Francie? Is she alive?"  
  
"Ah, yes, the friend that Allison replaced. She won't be returning. Ever." Will slammed Sark's head into the concrete, released him as his slipped down the wall.  
  
"You bastard." He spat on the downed man. Sark used his shoulder to clean his face and returned to his seat. Will slammed his fist into the door.  
  
"Her remains?" he added quietly. "Her family and friends would like to bury her."  
  
"Not sure." Sark shrugged. "Allison was the only one who knew." Will choked back a small sob and returned to his pacing.  
  
"Where's Sydney? What did you do to her, you bloody bastard?"  
  
Sark did little to mask his surprise at the question. He leaned forward in his chair.  
  
"She's missing?"  
  
"Yes, you c&sucker, she's missing." Will's fist clocked Sark in the cheek, snapping his head to the side.  
  
"Well isn't that interesting? I've been locked up in here; how the bloody hell should I know where she is?"  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"And what would that accomplish? All it will get me is more of these pleasant conversations."  
  
"You're LYING."  
  
"Believe what you will." Sark slumped again in his chair and was knocked to the ground as Will body tackled him.  
  
"YOU'RE LYING. WHERE ARE THEY?" Will's fists continued their barrage and Sark did his best to protect himself.  
  
Will's body was lifted off the prone man as Jack restrained the distraught man, ushering him out of the room. Jack locked the door behind him and the guard returned.  
  
"Will, he doesn't know."  
  
"Jack, he knows. I know it, let me back in there. Jack?"  
  
"No."  
  
Deflated, Will's body slumped to the floor and Jack watched as the man worked through the lasted defeat. Standing up Will started wandering aimlessly toward the stairwell; Jack took the lead upward.  
  
The light of day blinded Will as they two stepped out a back door of the headquarters.  
  
"What now, Jack? What do we do next?" It was Jack's turn to look deflated and he let out an audible sigh.  
  
"The tests came back, Will. We say goodbye."  
  
"She's not f&%ing dead Jack. They can't be dead." Jack hugged the now sobbing man.  
  
"A memorial service for Sydney is scheduled for Thursday. She'd want you to be there." Jack released the man and stared up at the clouds.  
  
"I'm not sure that I can." Will turned and walked away. 


End file.
